Norse Pantheon

I found this list on another site and thought I would share it. It is not my work, but I don't know if the original author has a website of his/her own.

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Asatru, Troth, Odinism, Norse Wicca. Norse Mythology, Scandinavian Mythology, Viking Mythology. All these names and more are all about one pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. Their stories come to us mainly through the Icelandic Eddas and Sagas. When exploring this realm, one must remember that these books were written after Christianity came to these lands, so what we read today may not be the exact same thing that was told around the fire during the long winter months.

As with researching any history, details can become confused. Different writers will interpret or translate things differently. Same, too, with names and spellings. As such, what is compiled here is what I have perceived as the most commonly accepted.

This lesson is about the major Gods and Goddesses of the Norse. I have tried not to get side tracked by all the intriguing stories that go along with them. I have included a glossary to help explain places and concepts referred in the biographies.

A multitude of books and articles have been written about the heroic and tragic stories of these Gods. My hope is that this brief lesson will perk your interest into discovering the deeper spirituality behind them.

Aegir (Hler)
Aegir is the God of the seashore and the ocean. He has also been referred to as the ruler of the sea. As the ocean gives and takes without judgment, so does Aegir. When Aegis gets angry, he causes severe storms across the sea. Some historians believe that the early Saxons performed human sacrifices to Aegir before their journeys.

Aegir is one of the Vanir. He is a giant. His father was Mistarblind. His brothers are Logi and Kari. Aegir married Ran, his sister. He and Ran live under the sea near an island called Hlessey.

Aegir and Ran had nine daughters, who are the waves. Their names are Bara, Blodughadda, Bylgia, Dufa, Hefring, Himinglaeva, Hronn, Kolga and Unn. All these names are poetic versions of the word waves.

Aegir, with the assistance of his servants Fimafeng and Eldir, is famous for his hospitality. The cups in his hall magically refill themselves. Thor brought Aegir a huge kettle in which to make mead. In the winter, the Gods meet in his hall to drink it. Aegir’s home was considered a sanctuary. When Balder died, the Gods met in Aegir’s hall. Loki, the trickster god insulted everyone, but the Gods were unable to prevent this because of the hall's sanctuary status.

Another interesting feature of the hall is that, instead of fire, gold was placed in the floor to give off light. As a result, gold is in some places known as Aegir’s Fire..

Balder (Baldr) (Baldur)

Balder, called The Glorious is known as the God of Light, the God of Tears, and the God of Beauty. He is handsome and wise. He is the son of Odin and Frigg. His wife is Nanna, and they had a son called Forseti. They live in Breidablik where nothing unclean can be. Breidablik has a silver roof and golden pillars.

One night, Balder had a very foreboding dream. Odin rode to Hel’s realm to discover the meaning. He was told that Balder would be killed by Hod, Balder’s twin brother. To prevent this, Frigg asked all things to swear not to hurt Balder. However, the mistletoe was too young. Loki, disguised as an old woman, visited Frigg and discovered this. Loki created a dart (or arrow) made from mistletoe. Soon after, the Gods were playing a game of throwing things at Balder. Loki went up to Balder’s brother Hod, who, while blind, never missed his mark., and gave him the dart. Hod threw the dart and killed his brother.

Hermod, Odin and Frigga's other son, then rode to Hel’s realm to plead for Baldor’s return. Hel told him that if all would weep for Balder, he could return to the living. Loki, this time disguised as the giantess Thokk, would not weep.

Nanna died of a broken heart. She was burned beside her husband on his ship, Hringhorni. With them were Balder’s horse and a dwarf that Thor threw in.



Bragi

Bragi is the God of Poetry and Eloquence. As the son of Odin and Gunlod, he is Odin’s Chief Poet. Many of the stories tell of Bragi being in Valhalla with Odin. Bragi is very wise and has runes cut into his tongue. Bragi inspires humans by having them drink from the Mead of Poetry. Other times, Bragi pours the mead down from the Heavens and whosoever it lands on is granted with skaldic abilities.

Bragi is married to Idun (Iounn). Idun is often times called the Rejuvenating One. She is the Goddess of youth, fertility and death. She is the keeper of the apples that keep the Gods young. When a God begins to age, all they have to do is eat one of these apples and they are instantly young again.

Freya

Freya is the Goddess of fertility and love. She is the patron Goddess of crops, birth and sensuality and matters of love. She is the Goddess of Magick and the Seidr. As well as the Queen of the Valkyries. She loves music, spring and flowers. She is especially fond of the elves (faeries). She is the daughter of Njord and the sister of Freyr.
Her husband is Od and she gave birth to Hnoss and Gersemi. When Od disappeared, Freya searched for him in vain and her tears turned into gold.

Freya lives in in her hall, Sessrumnir, which is in Folkvang, which means battlefield. Each day, she and Odin split the honored slain from the battlefield. Those that she chooses go to her hall. Slain women also come to her.
Freya has a chariot drawn by male cats. And she also rides on the back of a boar. She owns the Brising’s necklace called the Brisingamen, which she acquired from four dwarves. She also has a coat made with falcon feathers, which allows her to fly between the nine worlds.

Magick is a common Art for the Vanir. When, during the prisoner swap between the Aesir and the Vanir, she was sent to Asgard, she taught the Aesir this Art.

Freyr (Frey-Fro-Ing-Invi-Yug)

Freyr can be translated as Lord. Freyr is the God of weather and fertility. He rules over the Light Elves in Alfhelm. Freyr is the son of Njord, stepson of Skadi, and brother to Freya. His servant is Skirnir.

Freyr has a sword that, “…swings itself if wise he who wields it.” Freyr saw the beautiful giantess Gerd in Odin’s hall and sent Skirnir for her. Armed with Freyr’s sword and horse, Skirnir succeeded.

Freyr has a ship named Skidbladnir that was made by the dwarves. It is so large that all the Gods can ride in it, yet the ship can be folded down small enough to fit in a pocket. He also has a chariot drawn by the boars Gullinburst and Slidrugtanni. Gullinburst is so large that Freyr can ride him through the sky.

Originally a Vanir, he was traded with his sister Freya to the Aesir.

Heimdall (Heimdallr)

Heimdall is the Watcher of the Gods. He stands guard at Bifrost (the Rainbow Bridge) to look for the frost giants. Their arrival is a sign that Ragnorok has begun. When they arrive, Heimdall will alert the Gods by sounding his horn, Gjallar.

Heimdall is the son of Aegir’s nine daughters, the waves. He needs little sleep, can see in the dark, and his hearing is so acute that he can hear the grass grow. As Rig, which means Ruler, he begot Thrall, Carl and Earl – the three races of man.

Hel (Hela-Hella)

Hel is the Goddess of the Underworld. She is sent those who were not chosen by either Odin or Freya. She separates those who are dishonorable and those that died from old age or illness. She is half white and half black. Her upper body is youthful, while her lower looks as decayed as a corpse. She lives in the realm of Nifheim in her hall named Elvidnir. She keeps company with a multi-headed dog named Garm who guards the entrance to the Underworld. (His number of heads varies between writers. I have seen 2 heads, 3 heads, or just 4 eyes)

Hel is the youngest daughter of Loki and the giantess Angurboda. She is sister to the imprisoned Wolf Fenrir and the Midgard Serpent, Jormungand.